Five Fun Places to See in Redding with Kids
Redding is known to be incredibly hot in the summer. There are weeks when the heat reaches into the hundreds for days on end. It’s no surprise then, that most of the best entertainment in Redding centers around water. There are at least five rivers and four lakes that are in close proximity to Redding. Also nearby is one of the world’s largest concrete dams, Shasta Dam. (Though it didn’t make my “top five” list, I should mention that free tours for the dam run daily.)
1) Turtle Bay Exploration Park
The campus for Turtle Bay is over 300 acres in total. The museum is the cornerstone of the Park. Here you learn about the region and its people through historical artifacts, wildlife exhibits, an animal show that features local critters and birds, and two rotating exhibits. Then exit the museum and cross the Sacramento River along the famous Sundial Bridge, one of the most photographed bridges in the world. The tip of the bridge, which reaches 217 feet high, casts a shadow along the bank of the river. Markers indicate what time it is every fifteen minutes from 11am until 2pm according to the bridge’s shadow. If you continue exploring this side of the river, you will find McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Garden. The botanical garden, including a children’s garden and butterfly sanctuary, is spread over 20 acres. The arboretum extends over 200 acres and links to the Sacramento River Trail, making it a great location for a bike ride.
2) Caldwell Park
In the middle of Caldwell Park is the Redding Aquatic Center. It has the best water play structure for young kids that I have ever seen. This structure sits within a large area of water that is no deeper than two feet. There are enough slides, tunnels, buckets and ropes to entertain a full kindergarten. Play sessions include some morning times, afternoon times, as well as an evening time from 6:45pm – 8:00pm. This makes for a great evening activity to ensure your young one sleeps well. (Open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.) Caldwell Park also includes a playground, nice walkways, a skateboard park, and a beautiful view of the Sacramento River.
3) Shasta Caverns
As far as cave-exploring goes, Shasta Caverns is a nice place for people of all ages. Typically the stair climbing at cave tours can be overwhelming to some kids (and adults!) but I think this cave is a pretty approachable one. Not only are the caves cool (and I do mean that literally and figuratively) but to get to the entrance requires crossing Shasta Lake via a catamaran (about 15 min) and a bus ride up a steep mountain (about 10 min). Three adventures for the price of one! Shasta Caverns are open year round. During the high season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) tours depart every half hour from 9am – 4pm.
photo credit: rickh
4) Whiskeytown Lake
Don’t think you can find a beach in the middle of northern California? Eight miles west of Redding is Whiskeytown Lake. It offers 36 miles of shoreline and many varieties of recreational water fun. You can scuba dive, kayak, row, fish, swim, sail, or waterski around the lake. Be aware, it is a popular destination for locals on the weekends. (Personal watercraft are not allowed here, but can be used at Shasta and Trinity Lakes.) Many of the trails tour historic sections of the park. Gold Rush Era buildings, mines and miner’s ditches can be seen along the way. Ranger guided programs are offered during the summer months, including gold panning and kayak tours. Parking is $8.
5) Kids Kingdom
Kids Kingdom is located within Enterprise Park, run by the city of Redding. This is a popular park for the young crowd, as there are a lot of climbing opportunities here. You’ll find a large wooden play structure including an intercom system, hamster wheels, tiled art, tire pit and more. Kids Kingdom also is located in a large park with an 18-hole disc golf course, basketball courts and a walking trail. There is also a water park, and its free, but I have heard from more than one local that sometimes older kids can get rambunctious here and aren’t mindful of little ones around them.
Today is spotlight Thursday at Trekaroo. Check out their site for more travel highlights.
Lora, you’ve got me dreaming of a trip to Caldwell Park – that Aquatic Center looks fantastic! Great list!
Redding, who knew? Great article Lora! Can I hire you as my personal travel guide???
Since I grew up in Redding, I had a huge smile reading this. We love Kids Kingdom and the Aquatic Park. We do this every time we are in town. And this last time, we went to Turtle Bay. It’s always a fun time. Even when it’s 103F out. To avoid crowds at Whiskeytown (Brandy Creek) go after 2pm. You avoid the harsh rays from the sun and have more beach to yourself.
@ Katie: I really get into the planning part, so if you have a destination… just let me know.
@ Heather: Good tips. Always great to hear from those who are in the know.
This is a great article. The places listed are favorites of myself and my kids. I just had a couple of corrections to point out. Parking at Whiskeytown is $5, not $8,and Kids Kingdom doesn’t have an intercom system or hamster wheels. I do very much agre about the older kids making it tough to keep an eye on your little ones though.